Close to Home
by Passionate Heart
Summary: It started out as a vacation but turned into a job. What happens when an old enemy meets up with a very important member of the Leverage team? Will they be able to save their friend in time? Action/Pain/Hurt&Comfort...Eeks! M for precautions.
1. Chapter 1: Wanted Dead or Alive

**Leverage: Close to Home**

**Summary:** It started out as a vacation but turned into a job. What happens when an old enemy meets up with a very important member of the Leverage team? Will they be able to save their friend in time?

**Genre**: Action

**Character:** Eliot S.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the characters…I do hope my plot is original. If not, I know nothing of the other plots.

**A/N: Please read and review and give me any feedback you may feel. If you like it, let me know; if you don't, please tell me why! Thanks! I'm open to suggestions and I'm willing to hear what I can do to make the story better. Thanks and Hope you enjoy! **

**Chapter 1: Wanted Dead or Alive**

Walking down the road, a woman and her daughter carried their only belongings with shoulders slouched and tears freely flowing down their angel faces. The older woman looked down at her daughter, "I don't know what to do now darling. We've lost everything we ever owned or ever wanted in our lives and now we must start fresh. I don't understand what happened, but we need to keep our heads held high."

"Mama, I know this is for the best, but Daddy shouldn't have died. His manager should've been more careful and now we're kicked out of our own home because the manager, Jerry Stone says Daddy owed him more money than we could ever pay! This is nonsense, and I will not let Mr. Stone get away with this!"

"Darling," her southern accent came out thickly, "We can't do anything now. We just need to leave that life behind and start again, someplace new."

"Mama, I can accept that for now, but there has to be a way to clear Daddy's name! This is the worst thing. He always paid his debts and he never borrowed more than he could return in a month's time."

"I know darling, but Mr. Stone is a very important and powerful man. I don't think we can ever get him to pay us back."

At that Mamaent, a dusty old truck pulled up beside them, and a man rolled down the window, "Hey, do you ladies need a ride somewhere?"

"Oh, no sir," the mother replied. "I think we'll be fine. Thank you." She seemed polite enough, and seemed to work hard to keep a proper feminine tone.

"Actually, yeah, we do need a ride," the daughter answered quickly not caring much for politeness. "We were kicked out of our own home after my daddy died in a fight. His manager said Daddy owed him over a million dollars, so he settled for everything in our savings accounts, he took Mama's little antique shop and took our house. He let us have a few of our personal items, but everything else he took as payback!"

"Darling!" the mother's voice was stern, but the younger woman had no fear in her eyes, only anger.

"Look, ma'am, I'd love to give you a ride. If what your daughter is saying really happened, I think I know someone who could help you ladies out."

"Really? You'd do that for us?" The daughter was ecstatic and looked at her mother. "I told you we could do this!"

The trucked pulled into the local bar on the outskirts of town. The old worn out green sign had faded black words that read "Texas Hold 'Em Tight Bar." The older woman sighed and looked at her daughter, "Now what's going to happen, Darling?" Her voice was quiet and she began to worry about what this man wanted.

"Stay right here ladies, I'm just going to run in real quick."

When the man left the truck and went into the bar, the mother looked around, "We should get out of here. We need to leave before he brings more men around and we can't fight them off."

"Mama, just wait. I'm sure it'll all work out. He wants to help us."

"Everyone wants to help us when they think we've got something to give."

"You need to stop being paranoid Mama, and just wait for the man."

"And you, Darling, need to stop being so trusting."

It was too late, the man returned with another man. The other one was about the same height as the first guy, but he had twice the muscles and his hair was resting comfortably on his shoulders. The first guy smiled wide and ran his fingers through his short dirty blonde hair. He looked over at the other guy and spoke but neither of the women could see what he was saying.

The mother began to fiddle with her fingers in anticipation when the second man came to her side and opened the door. "Hello ma'am, my name's Eliot and this is Bryce, an old friend of mine. Sorry he didn't introduce himself…that's just the way he is. Anyways, he told me about your story and I really think I can help…well, I work with a team and I think we could help you out. Are you interested in meeting the man in charge of the group?"

"Uh, I don't really know, sir," the mother responded.

"Ma'am, you can just call me Eliot. You don't need to call me sir," his warm smile made both women feel more comfortable and willing to talk.

"My name is Rebekah Daniels and this is my daughter Nicolette." Eliot nodded to the younger woman and took note of her beautiful straight strawberry blonde hair that framed her face and hung down just past her chest. Her bangs were in a sweep and were just long enough to tease her icy blue eyes. Her pale skin was like sweet milk and honey, smooth and flawless. She was an angel, and as if that weren't enough, she was a near exact replica of her mother. The only difference was her mother had bright green eyes and her hair was a little lighter due to the grey invading.

Bryce coughed, getting Eliot's attention. "So," Eliot recovered himself. "How'd this all happen? I mean, your husband owed his manager money, but who's the manager? What was he the manager for?"

"It's kinda a long story," Nicolette replied.

"Well, in that case," Eliot said as he looked back at the younger woman, "let me get you both over to Nathan Ford and you can tell the both of us. That way you don't have to tell the story twice." The hitter nodded towards the ladies. I'll let Bryce drive you ladies, but he'll be following me."

Before either could ask him why, he got onto the motorcycle that was right beside the truck and revved his engine. "Let's go partner," was all he said as he began to speed out of the parking lot.

The drive was nearly one and a half hours before they came up to an expensive looking hotel. The women looked at each other in suspicion when Bryce answered their question, "Well, Eliot and the rest of the team came here for a vacation, and today was their last day. They were supposed to head out back home early tomorrow morning. I guess we met at the perfect time. If anyone can help you ladies, it's this team."

"Thank you for your kindness, sir."

"You can call me Bryce, miss. I'm not one for formalities." He quickly corrected himself, "Well, I use them because my mother would have my hide otherwise." He looked at the hitter as he got off his motorcycle, "He's the same way, so if he's too formal, blame his mama. Just don't tell him I said it."

The laugh that escaped the man's lips made Nicolette smile sincerely as she looked over at Eliot who was swiping his fingers through his hair, pulling the strands away from his face.

"Very well," Rebekah smiled. Eliot opened the door for the ladies to get out and the four walked into the hotel, Eliot leading the way. Eliot and Bryce carrying the luggage the women had with them.

"Hey Nate, we have a few visitors. They need our help. I think you guys should hear them out."

"Bring them in," an older man's voice spoke from further in the hotel room. "I'll be out in a minute. Get Hardison and Parker through your Com. Parker dragged Hardison to the gym. I think he'd appreciate you saving him."

"And Sophie?"

"She'll be here in a few minutes."

Eliot nodded and led the others to the couch. He turned to his friend, "Hey Bryce, how's about you go back to the bar? We'll take it from here."

"Sure, no problem Eliot." He turned to the women on the couch and nodded, "Ladies."

They nodded a goodbye and Rebekah expressed her thanks one more time before he turned and walked through the door.

Eliot turned his head from the women and spoke in a soft whisper, "Hey, Hardison…Parker, come over to Nate's room now. We've got us some clients."

"We're heading over," Hardison's voice came in a rushed and slightly out of breath gasp.

"Get cleaned up first," Eliot growled figuring they got sidetracked from the gym before turning back to the women. "Can I get you two anything to drink or eat?"

"Water is good," Rebekah smiled.

"Anything with sugar would be great," Nicolette spoke absentmindedly.

Eliot filled a cup with ice and water for Rebekah and filled another cup with sweet iced tea and walked back to the couches as Sophie entered the room with a smile. Nate came out of the room shortly after and Hardison and Parker laughed as they entered the room.

The hitter shook his head and sat on the recliner with his own bottle of beer as the rest of the crew settled in different parts of the living room of the hotel.

"Hello, my name is Rebekah Daniels. My daughter, Nicolette," she nodded over at her daughter, "believes we need help."

"It's true Mama. Mr. Stone took advantage of Daddy and once he died, that stupid manager blamed us and wouldn't even let us grieve. He immediately claimed that Daddy owed him a ton of money. He's such a lying bastard! Daddy never borrowed more than he could pay back in a month's time!"

"Nicolette!" the mother exclaimed.

"Look, Rebekah," Nate interrupted. "We're a very capable crew and we want to help you out. We can get your money back from this Mr. Stone, but we need some more information."

"I don't care about the money, I only want my husband's name cleared."

"Mr. Nate," Nicolette started, "We lost all our belongings to that man. He only gave us a few things, but I want him to pay."

"He will. Can you give us all the details?"

The story seemed normal enough. This man, Mr. Jason Stone was the manager of Mr. Daniels who was a martial artist and owner of his own school. He still competed and after a bad fight, he was "accidentally" killed. He had only lost 5 battles in his entire career, and this 5th loss cost him his life. The day after the funeral, Mr. Stone came back to "pay his respects" and shared the news that the father owed him over a million and in order to claim that debt, he took the house, the antique shop, their life savings, and took all the money Nicolette saved for opening her own club. She envisioned a place that would be a hang out after everyone's work day where they cold drink, party, play pool, dance, watch games on the TVs, and even sing or perform. While she was in college, she explained the clubs were what kept her sane through the midterms and finals. They were practically kicked out of their own home town because he worked with the police and judge in the town, and the ladies were looked down upon because they talked back to Mr. Stone. Well, Nicolette talked back to him.

The job seemed simple enough: the team would go to the town, find the falsified debt, find what all he is hiding, expose him, and get rid of him and his police. Eliot would be a new man in town because he heard they had a good chance for competition and was looking for a break. Parker was going to be Eliot's girlfriend. Hardison would be in the background and find any information he could on this guy and keep tabs on the martial arts school while Sophie and Nate would be "invisible" in this entire con unless they were absolutely needed.

They began the con and everything seemed to fall into place. Eliot walked into the martial arts school with Parker at his side.

"Hey, honey, are you sure this is where you want to be?" Parker looked like the sexy and smart trophy-wife she was playing. Her straight hair had been recently layered and she wore skinny jeans and a dark tank top. Her makeup focused on her eyes and gave them a sexy smoky look that made Eliot wish she was more of his type. She looked perfect standing beside him, almost his height because of her high heeled boots, her hand intertwined in his. Still, even with such a feminine look, she looked like she could kick someone's ass if they looked at her or Eliot in the wrong way.

"This place is perfect Nadia. It'll be great for training. I just need to see how much it costs." Eliot wore a pair of grey sweats and a tight black A-shirt.

"Well, can you just walk in?"

"Sure, I don't know why not."

They were interrupted by a man who was built with big muscles and very short hair. "Of course you could come in. Do you want to sign up for a class?"

"I heard we could sign up for a martial arts competition and I was really looking forward to that. You see, I'm new in town and we're looking for a break, so I can provide for my family. I've been training for a long time, and I just wanted to enter the competition. Can you help me out?"

"Well of course we can. What's your name? We can get you on the record. You see, we have to have you registered to a gym in order to let you compete. What classes would you be interested in taking?"

"I can work in any style. What styles are the most competitive? Of course, how many classes I get into depends on how much would you charge?"

"If you could pay $15.00 a week, that'll be great."

"Really? That seems pretty cheap," Parker interjected.

"Yeah, well, he looks like a great guy and the only thing I ask is that you come along with him to each session, Darling. So, what're your names?"

"Oh, sorry, yeah, my name's Jared…Jared Dawson." Eliot turned over to Parker, and this is Nadia."

"Well, Jared. I'll get some paperwork started and ready for you tomorrow."

"Thanks so much."

"Well, how about you show me what you got before I get that paperwork."

"Alright, I'll go ahead and do that. Thanks Mr?"

"Oh, yes, I'm Mr. Black, but you can call me Trevor. I work for the manager, Mr. Alex Stone."

"Well, thanks for the sweet deal. We just moved here and I'm looking for a job. It's hard to find with such short notice."

"Well, I'll talk to Mr. Stone, but we could use a janitor. If you want to work after practice, we'd love to have you. I just have to ask Mr. Stone first."

"Wow, you really are amazing. I love this town already." He turned over to Parker, "See Darling, I told you this place would be a great home for a new start." He was sure his Southern accent was thick so the man would know he could easily be trusted.

"Oh, are you two newlyweds?"

"Yeah, we got married last week. We couldn't afford a real honeymoon, so we just decided to move and then get that honeymoon once we saved up enough," Parker answered with a sexy smile. She wrapped her arms around Eliot's arm and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. "Well, show him what you got, Honey." Her hand slipped to the small of his back and gave him a loving nudge forward.

Eliot walked over to the punching back and started showing his skill in beating the bag. After his quick warm up, he moved over and started doing some of the routines and stances. After a quick run-through, he started doing some of the flips and turns before Trevor came back. "Hey, how about I get someone to spar with you?"

"Yeah, that'd be great. If you don't mind, of course."

Trevor took no time to walk over to another guy and talked to him. The guy followed him and walked over to Eliot. "So, you wanted to spar?"

"Yeah," Eliot answered with a genuine smile. The two guys came together and began to spar. Eliot showed amazing skill and Mr. Black was pleased with what he saw. Eliot, however, was not showing his true skill…just enough to get the man interested.

Mr. Black walked back to Parker and gently touched her shoulder, "So, where are you from? How'd the two of you meet? You don't look like you'd visit a place like this."

"Oh, you're right. I was a model for a short while. I was at a bar up in New York and it started to get rough. He came and protected me from three drunken guys who were trying to get into my pants. He was a true sweetheart and we've been together since. He became my bodyguard, but I decided to 'retire' so we could have a family."

Hardison was hearing the story and quickly set to work making her background story look legit. He typed away furiously until that was completed and smiled at his work.

Trevor smiled at her and nodded, "Well, I'm glad he saved you and the both of you found a home here in our humble town." Parker simply nodded and looked back over at Eliot with an expression of awe and pride in her husband.

What Eliot didn't know, and didn't account for was someone else watching him. Mr. Stone was watching from the back room. He was seeing everything Eliot was doing and was shaking his head as laughter slipped between his lips, "Revenge can and will be a bitch."

Once he finished sparring, Eliot shook hands with Mr. Black was given the man's business card and was told to keep in contact. Eliot could start training the next day and by then, Trevor would have had time to talk to Mr. Stone and get everything in order. Eliot agreed and shook hands before walking out with Parker attached to his hip.

"Well this is interesting," Mr. Stone spoke. "Looks like the bastard settled down, or just took a moment to get a girl and get back on his old retrieval job. Here I thought he was retired."

At that moment, Mr. Black came in. "Mr. Stone, we have an opportunity to get big again. This guy, his name is Jared Dawson and he is a hell of a fighter. He is new in town and was hoping to train here for the competition next week. I told him to pay a fee of $15.00 a week to train and join in the competition. Did you see him sparring?"

"I sure did Trevor. Thank you so much for talking with the man. I think I'll let you continue having a relationship with him. I will stay in the back for now…but yes, whatever he wishes he can have. Give him the best deals, the best openings…give him anything to help him build up a strong reputation. Oh, and he can be the janitor. I have no problem with that."

"Thank you very much sir. I will start filling in some papers. He will be in early tomorrow morning for training. His wife will join him at every practice…just to watch of course."

"That'll be swell. Now, I must get back to some business, but just keep me updated on the situation with this Mr. Jared Dawson.

Eliot's adrenaline rushed through his veins as he contemplated this job. He was going to fight and it was going to be wonderful. He had been itching for a fight for a long time. Not just any fight, but a true "honest" fight.

Parker had been quiet and looked thoughtful ever since the gym. Eliot wondered what was on her mind, but was afraid to ask. Still, the car ride was getting unbearable in the silence. "Hey, Parker, what's on your mind?"

"Something's off."

"What do you mean? We got in. It'll be fine. I'll be able to take care of everything. We'll be in and out in a short timeframe. A month at the most."

"I don't think so. My skin feels tingly."

Eliot fumbled with his earpiece to make sure it was off, and motioned for Parker to do the same. When she did, he responded, "I bet it's just the way that guy was looking at you. You did a smokin' job there today."

"Really? You think so?"

She had a right to be shocked and surprised by the comment. Eliot wasn't one to give out many compliments…especially not to Parker or Hardison.

"Yeah Parker. You did a great job. Let's just keep the act going as a _happily_ married couple."

"Do I have to kiss you?"

"No Parker!" the hitter practically shouted. It was strange to be in this position with Parker…and just thinking about her kissing him made his skin crawl. "I sure as hell hope we don't have to do that."

She nodded in understanding. "You're right. Hardison wouldn't be thrilled if I made out with you."

"We're not-don't even think-I mean-just-Parker!" he was at a loss of words. This girl was so insane, it made him crazy. Still, when he looked at her, he couldn't help but feel protective. After a moment to collect his thoughts, he changed gears, "Parker, I know Mr. Black wants you there, and it's no secret he's interested in you. If he makes a move…one move that makes you uncomfortable, just tell me. I'll wear my com and you do the same…just a whisper and I'll have him off of you in an instant. Got that?"

"Yuppers, sure got it! Thanks muscleman!"

"Not a problem. Just don't screw up the con and we'll be ok." His lips curled at the tips and his mind raced to the possible fights he would have lined up for him. It would be nice to fight a skilled person for a change. One with proper training and experience…one who could actually take a punch, not just hand them out. This would be a wonderful con!

Back at the hotel, the team started going over the different aspects of the plan. Nate came up with several back up plans in case something got too complicated. It would be pretty good. Eliot and Parker were the big con artists in this plan, so the others would be there as backups in case something turned for the worst.

After the meeting, Hardison told Parker and Eliot that he got another hotel closer into town for the "couple" to stay in so it looks more legit. It wasn't a really fancy place, but it wasn't a dump either…it was still on the lower end of middle class though. The team saw that Hardison didn't like the set up but knew it was important to cover all the holes in the plot before any questions came up. "You guys can still come here anytime, but that way if Mr. Black or Mr. Stone come looking for you guys, he'll have a trail leading to _that_ hotel."

"You sure you didn't get any real information on Mr. Stone?" Eliot asked. "I mean, you usually find at least a picture and social security, but here we got nothing."

"I know that man, but I searched as deep as I could and he doesn't even have a picture on a Myspace profile or Facebook. This guy's nuts. I don't even know if he's married or anything. Hopefully you'll see him around."

"I told Eliot this, but I want to tell everyone, I feel something's missing…something's off. Eliot thinks it's just the way Mr. Black was looking at me…but I'm not so sure. I just don't know."

"Don't get too stressed. We'll be in and out in no time," Nate tried to assure her in the same way Eliot did. He then turned to Hardison, "Just keep digging. We'll find a weakness sooner or later, but let's give Eliot and Parker some time to see if they can give information." Hardison nodded and looked back at his computer screen still a little glum.

Parker looked over at Hardison and shook her head violently, "We need to talk…NOW!" The entire team jumped at her in surprise and Hardison's eyes were the size of saucers.

"Parker, what's up? You know you can say anything."

"Yeah, but we need to talk…alone." She didn't give any more detail as she stood and stomped out of the room, and continuing until she was at the complete other end of the hotel room. Hardison watched her leave and took a moment before following after her. He looked over his shoulder at the rest of the crew, all giving him the same questioning look. He shrugged and continued off to meet Parker.

Once he entered the room she was in, he saw her sitting on the bed with her legs crossed and her hands resting on the soft blankets. She watched as he walked over closer to her, still wondering what she wanted. "Parker, what's this about?"

"You think I'm going to cheat on you, Hardison. I don't know why you think that, but you do. Don't try to tell me you're not jealous with the idea that Eliot and I _have_ to act like a married couple." She added emphasis on the word "have" to let Hardison know it wasn't a choice she wanted. It was something that needed to be done.

"I know you won't Parker, it's just irritating that…I mean-I can't-you know." Hardison didn't know what he was saying, but he somehow hoped Parker could figure it out.

The blond woman nodded slowly, then stood to her full height and touched the hacker's cheek, "Hardison, if I wanted to date a guy who could punch the lights out of anyone he wanted to, or glare at them with this insane look like he was some sort of monster trying to get out of its cage, I would have asked Eliot out." She continued to stroke his cheek as she explained further, "I know it can be hard to understand, but Eliot is the one that can fight. In this type of con, we can't bluff fighting skills. We need him to do this. I'm just the one who needs to observe our surroundings and help him out if something comes up. We also know that Sophie can't take a punch if her life depended on it." This made Parker think for a second and correct herself, "Well, she might be able to take one…but definitely not two…much less hand out a punch." She nodded seeming to have figured out where she was wrong in her logic.

Hardison shook his head and took her hand in his and brought it to his lips. "Thanks Parker."

"No problem, Alec. Just chill out and watch as we get in and out. Eliot said it shouldn't take more than a month…considering the competition is in two weeks. We should get what we need and get out after the competition. There's no way in hell Eliot would let us finish before he had a chance to fight!"

"Yeah, you're right, sugar. Thanks for talking to me."

"Not an issue here." She leaned up and pressed her lemonade flavored lips to Hardison's full lips and moaned into his mouth as he gripped her golden locks with his hacker-soft and uncallused fingers. They continued until there was a quiet knock on the door. Hardison didn't want to pull away, knowing he wouldn't have a chance to do this for a long time, but Parker slowly pulled away and slipped a kiss on his Adam's apple, and whispered against it as he took in a deep breath, "FYI, I think of Eliot as an older brother, nothing other than that. He's the protector…that's how I see him, plus he said we didn't have to kiss."

With that simple explanation, Parker jumped up and opened the door, seeing Eliot on the other side. He seemed like he didn't want to interrupt, but needed to. "Parker, we need to check into that hotel tonight. It's kinda important to start that now. The sooner we do this, the faster we'll be done with it all."

"Yeah, I know." She spun around like a little fairy and grabbed her duffle bag and several pairs of clothes. Eliot had his own duffle bag, but just before they left, Sophie stopped Parker, "Honey, here's some real clothes. You need to look sexy, but still a badass…and you can't really do that in a pair of jeans and simple shirts. Here's a few extra accessories…and please try to wear a bra."

"But Sophie! They're so uncomfortable! I hate them holding me down. I don't have that big a chest to worry about this kinda stuff!"

"I know, but the bras I have here will make you look more luscious and desirable."

"Why do I want to look desirable? I'm already married?"

"Parker, because the more the people like you, the nicer they'll be to Eliot over here."

"Isn't he supposed to get jealous if they touch me or anything?"

"Parker, no one's going to touch you," Eliot replied in a husky, harsh voice. He looked over at Sophie and shook his head, "She just wants you to be more enticing, but if you don't feel comfortable, than just wear what you want."

Parker smiled at that, "I'll look at what you packed for me Sophie! Thanks!"

As the days past, Eliot trained hard during the day and cleaned the gym at night. He didn't have a lot of time to spend with Parker, but she was always there for him while he trained. With each day that passed, the guys that trained with Eliot became more confident and would go over to her and try to have small talk. She obliged them and spoke to them, but had many short answers as she looked out at Eliot, as if she was uninterested in any other male in the gym but her husband.

Still, everyone wandered how their relationship worked out. Eliot was too focused on the training, not really taking notice of her sitting there day after day for hours on end. When he was finished with the training, and had a couple of hours before cleaning the place, he would simply walk next to her…on occasion, they would hold hands or she'd put her arm around his waist and his arm would go limply over her shoulder. They were all curious, but never had the courage to ask.

It was two days before the fight and Trevor had been extremely generous to the couple. Eliot was wondering why he was so nice, and Parker continually expressed her worry about the whole situation. Eliot finished his training early and walked over to Parker. She handed him his water bottle and a towel, "I don't like this," she whispered again.

"Look, you've been here and you haven't spotted anything strange. I've been around this entire place and haven't seen anything worth worrying about. Stop thinking too much. It'll be fine."

"So why haven't we met Mr. Stone then?"

"I don't know. Trevor says he's just been busy with the business…probably trying to arrange his accounts and keep them off the records."

Before they could continue the conversation, Trevor came up to them as if on cue, "Hello Jared and Nadia. It's a pleasure to see you here today. I see you're wrapping everything up for the day."

"Yeah, I got to be sure to rest up for the competition. Besides, I haven't been able to hang out with Nadia for awhile now, and we were hoping to get a bite to eat before enjoying the town clubs." Eliot looked over at Parker and gave a small smile to prove he was missing her.

"Well, I talked to Mr. Stone and he said you could take the day off today and tomorrow, to make sure you're ready for the fights and fully rested. He also suggests you not come in tomorrow so that you have a day to let your muscles recoup. He's worried you're overworking yourself."

"Yeah, I think I'll be fine, but, uh, when do I get to meet the man making all this happen for me?" Eliot was talking about the generous gift of the house he was supplied two days after they arrived. It was the Daniels' old house they were given so they wouldn't have to stay in the hotel.

"Well, he would actually love to meet with you after the meet. He is very interested in meeting you. He said he's never seen anyone fight like you….maybe once before, but not that he was sure of."

"How does he see me fight? I've never seen him come here to the gym?" Eliot's smile stayed on his face as if he was just having a normal chat with the guy, but knew this was some crucial information he would need for the con. He hadn't seen security or anything. He knew he was missing something, but wasn't sure what it was. Maybe Parker was right? Now things started to seem strange…and off.

"Oh, well you see, he's got his office in the basement and he has many cameras set up in here and he watches them while doing his work."

"Really? How come I never was told to clean his office? I feel bad for not doing a complete job."

"Oh, he has a personal secretary for that. It's actually his daughter. She's a model and roams the country, but she's in between jobs right now and wants to help him out a bit. She's here and takes care of his office. He's a private man and likes to keep his information private."

"Oh, well, thanks for letting me know. So, he wants to meet after the tournament?"

"Yes, he said he wants to take you somewhere fancy. With that being said, he told me to tell you, after the tournament, go home, take a shower and dress in your best. You don't have much opportunity to do that, and he wants to see you in your best apparel. Meet him here, and he will take the both of you out for dinner. He is even bringing his daughter."

"Thanks for the memo. We'll sure be looking forward to it."

"You're welcome. Also, just so you know, her name is Lei Pya."

"Thanks." Eliot smiled again and shook the man's hand before grabbing his bag and leading Parker out with his hand on the small of her back.

Once at the house, Eliot shook his head, "You're right Parker, something's off."

"Now you agree with me? What made you change your mind?" She had an exasperated look on her face, "Maybe it was that this guy is so secret, we didn't even see the CAMERAS!"

"Parker, I need you to calm down. The names. His name….Mr. Alex Stone…he sounds Caucasian, but his daughter's name…Lei Pya…it sounds Burmese."

"So, maybe he adopted her?"

"Her name sounds familiar though…but I can't put my finger on it. I have this nagging feeling at the back of my head like I should know who she is…this is going to piss me off until I figure out who she is."

"Just relax. Shower up and let's get something to eat! He's right you know…Trevor. You've been so busy with the gym that you haven't had a chance to go to the local bar…drink…or even wear your jeans. You need to unwind. Tomorrow will be good for that."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I just…fighting like that is nice. I don't get to do that very often."

"Well, congrats to you. I'll call Hardison and tell him the girl's name…see if he comes up with anything."

"Sounds like a plan."

**A/N: Sooo, what do you think? It'll get more interesting I hope. I just had to set up the story. Let me know what you think! Please read and review! I have so many Leverage ideas, that I'll be having first chapters for a few more stories before I settle back into one or the other…oops. Is that bad of me? I'm just soooo ADHD that I can't focus on one story for too long….please bear with me and stick around! :)**


	2. Chapter 2: Whiskey in Mind

**A/N: Sorry it's taken forever for me to update. My apologies…I suppose my biggest issue as a writer is my constant writer's block along with lack of focus…got ADHD in the brain. Oops. Well, here's another chapter to this lovely story and I hope y'all will enjoy reading it! My sincerest apology for this long wait…but I appreciate all the support, views and reviews! Without further ado here is the next chapter! **

**Chapter 2: Whiskey in Mind**

Eliot couldn't sleep the remainder of the night because he couldn't seem to remember who Lei Pya was. She was somewhere in the back of his mind, but he couldn't place her. Hardison showed Eliot some pictures of the young woman, but even that didn't spark any memories of her. It was beginning to scare him. The thought that his memory was failing him was not a good sign for a man with so many enemies. He tossed and turned on the couch for nearly three hours before getting up and dressing for the gym.

Parker snuck out of the bedroom and walked over to the living room where Eliot was currently stretching his sore muscles. "Why can't you sleep?" Parker's voice was barely a whisper.

"I just can't figure out who that woman is. It's driving me crazy."

"We'll figure it out, Eliot. You need your strength. I don't want you losing a fight just because you can't concentrate. We're almost there. The man trusts you. All you have to do is sweet talk him at the dinner and it'll all go well."

"Yeah, I guess so. Parker, we'll go to the dinner, but if I see something isn't right, I'll send you away, and I need you to listen to me. It's crucial. In my line of work, I may not exactly know what's the problem, but I can tell when a job will go south. Trust me, and I'll protect you."

"Eliot, I trust you and this team more than anyone in this world."

"Good. So, let's get some breakfast."

"Yeah, after breakfast…let's both do our jobs."

"Agreed."

Breakfast was uneventful and as the tournament continued, nothing of great consequence came about. Eliot searched the place but didn't see anything that would make him on harsher guard, and Parker checked every possible place and said it was clear. They also had Hardison pulling out a security sweep fit for the White House and nothing bad came up. Everyone sat calmly as Eliot awaited his first fight. With Parker at his side, he seemed less jittery, but still on edge.

"What's wrong?" Parker asked. "You're acting like your boxers are on fire."

"P-" Eliot stopped a moment. "What are you talkin' 'bout?"

"You're all jittery…kinda makes me nervous."

"You, nervous? Don't make me laugh."

"I have a sixth sense too you know. You can't see it, but it's there." Parker nodded for a little more emphasis, "That's how come I can't get caught."

"Sure, right. That's the perfect explanation."

Their banter continued lightheartedly which calmed the both enough to focus on the next few moments. Before either of them really expected it, Eliot was up for his fight and was taking on a harsh beating. The opponent was twice Eliot's height and seemed to have twice the amount of muscle. He gave out hard punches and kicks, but Eliot's speed and accuracy in any fight helped keep him steady. He took a few hits to the head but shook them off quickly in order to keep the fight going. After just a few short rounds, Eliot let out a little more than he was letting out and took out the opponent without much difficulty. That win got him into the next round. Eliot kept winning, showing a little more power and technique than the time before. It was right before the semi-finals and he was leaning over to get a drink when Parker got his attention. "Hey, be careful out there. I know you have a lot in your reserves, but don't show too much. You've shown a lot…just be careful. You're wearing yourself out. Try to reserve some strength."

"Yeah, you're right. Thanks."

The semi-finals was difficult, but Eliot managed to win that…barely. He took several hard hits and was bleeding not only above his left eyebrow, but also his chin was split from a punch. The referee asked him to get looked at, especially since he'd taken several deadly hits to his head since the beginning. Eliot reassured the ref and Trevor that he was able to continue, and with a nod from the doctor, Eliot was back in the ring for the final. Eliot looked over at Parker just before the bell went and saw Parker mouth, "Let him win." Eliot didn't even have time to nod or get his reflexes in order when a fist went straight for his right temple. The blow was so hard, it echoed in the stadium, and Eliot stumbled several steps. He blinked several times, but couldn't seem to get his bearing. From the looks of it, all he could see was white. Parker jolted up from her seat and screamed out, "Come on Jared! You can do it…just get back in it." Before Eliot was settled back, another blow to his gut sent him toppling over onto the mats. Parker rushed to the side to try to get his attention, but Trevor held her back. "Hey, we can't interfere."

"Look at him! He needs help!"

The referee looked over Eliot and started counting. He got to seven when Eliot finally stirred into a sitting position. He shook his head and staggered up and looked at the other man with a deadly glare. Parker inhaled deeply as she worried he'd lost all control. Eliot went in and gave the guy a few blows of his own, ending the assault with a powerful side kick that pushed the big man into the ring's edge.

Still, even with his own assault, the other man recovered quickly and the two fighters were back in another set of hits. Each man took a good amount of beating, but Eliot was surprisingly holding his own. Both men had the speed and the power to defeat any other man. They truly were the best of the best in this fight. It was several rounds before the referee told each man to get a quick look-over by the doctor. Each having acceptable number of injuries, the fight was back on. It wasn't until round 15 when Eliot's eyes cleared from the rage and dropped his guard for just a split second as he looked over at Parker. She nodded and just as he smiled, Eliot closed his eyes and took the final punch. The hit to his head was so forceful, his feet left the mats and he made a few spins before landing on the mats with a thud. The referee walked over and began counting, but Eliot didn't move. "-7-8-9-10 and he's out!" The ref then closed the space between him and the other fighter taking that man's gloved hand, "The winner of tonight's tournament….Rochester Roland!"

Cheers erupted from the crowd for several moments before Eliot's eyes opened and he began to stagger up. He finally made his way to his hands and knees before Parker was able to slip into the ring and help him up the rest of the way. "You need to see a doctor," Parker whispered to her partner.

"Yeah, I know. I'll do just that, but I need you to find Nate, and stay with them." Eliot's voice was soft and hesitant, but he tried to sound strong, "Something's off with Mr. Black, and I think I might know what it is." Eliot coughed up some blood before taking in a shaky breath.

"What's wrong, Eliot?" Parker whispered carefully, hiding her lips in his hair.

"Look to the women in the very top, in the box…she looks familiar." He endured another coughing episode as Parker flipped her hair nonchalantly to move it out of the way as she found the target. The woman was Oriental with wavy brown hair. She wore a robe-like dress that was light blue and gold and her face was made up with strong red lipstick on her perfect lips, blue and gold eye shadow that surrounded her entire eyes which accented her dark eyes.

"I don't recognize her."

"I know you don't. That's Lei Pya. She looks familiar, but I can't place my finger on it…she must've been younger when we first met…meaning I knew her before I joined the team."

"Enough talk, let's just get you out of here." Parker lead Eliot out of the ring and punched the on button for her ear bud. "Hardison, you there?"

"Yeah baby, what's up? What can my skillful hands do for you?"

"I need you to tell Nate that Eliot's been hurt really badly…plus he has a really bad feeling about everything."

"Stop the Con," Eliot whispered roughly.

"No," Nate replied from beside Hardison. "We need to keep going."

"Nate, Eliot can't fight anymore. He took a serious beating!" Parker half shouted.

"Shhh," Eliot mumbled as they entered the car. Parker looked up and saw Trevor right behind. "Jared, are you ok? Mr. Stone is worried about you."

"Ah, I'll be fine. I'm just heading up to the hospital to see the damage. I should be good for dinner if he can postpone it for a little while."

"No problem. I'm sure that can be arranged. Are you still coming too, Nadia?" his tone changed to a cheerier tone. Parker held the desire to roll her eyes, "I hope so, but no promises." She gave a wink before continuing, "Well, we better head out. See you around."

"Of course. Hope all is well. Mr. Stone said to put the bill on his tab. He'd take care of it for you since you were in the tournament."

"That's very generous of him," Eliot replied as he tried to fake his strength.

"Take care!" Trevor called out as Parker closed her door and sped out of the parking lot.

Eliot leaned back in his seat and let out a slow sigh before pulling out his ear bud from his jacket pocket and turned it on. "Nate, what do you mean keep the con going?" The fighter's voice was harsh and venomous. "You haven't been drinking have you?" The gravely tone would have continued, but Nate was saved by another coughing episode.

"Eliot, this man did some awful stuff, if we let him go, we can never come back to him again."

"Nate, I think I've worked with this man before…I've done something! I can't say for sure, but his daughter looks so familiar, yet I can't place her. It's dangerous now!"

"Eliot, we've faced Damien Moreau. We've come up face to face with your past before, and we survived. We can do it again. Didn't you say Damien was the worst you worked for? Think back on all your previous bosses…does Lei Pya remind you of any one of them?"

"Honestly, no…which means its worse…means my job was on her family."

"I'll look more into her family information and see what I can dig up," Hardison replied. "Nate kinda is right though. If we don't do this, we'll lose our chance forever."

"I know that Hardison!" Eliot snapped back. "I just think we need to abort this con and think of another one."

"We'll get right on that," Nate replied sarcastically."

Eliot was about to snap once more but he suddenly went light headed and nearly passed out as he heard Sophie on the other line rebuking Nate for his rudeness. Eliot leaned back in his seat again and pulled out the ear bud as he took several deep breaths.

"We're almost there Eliot. Hold on!"

The tournament finished by 3:00pm and by the time Eliot woke up in the hospital, it was 7:30 the next morning. Eliot felt sore all over and his chest felt heavy. He tried to raise himself, but he had no energy. He let his eyes flutter open and the intrusion of the bright light and white room along with the smell of cleaning supplies suddenly made him nauseous. He took a few deep breaths and tried lifting himself again, but this time realized something was lying on his chest. He moved his free arm to prop the pillows so he could get a better look, and what he found was Parker, sitting on a hospital chair with her body bent forward so her head was resting on his stomach and her hands wrapped around his hand that was attached to the IV. He adjusted himself a little better and relaxed again just as the nurse entered the room. She was quiet and smiled when she saw Eliot looking affectionately at his _wife_. Immediately, he looked up at her and pointed to the menu in her hand. She smiled and handed it to him along with a note. She looked at all his information, and decided to check his pupils while she was there. Once she finished her quick check up, she whispered softly, "Jared, I can look over your injuries once your wife is awake and you've finished your breakfast. Feel free to order whatever you'd like." With a small nod, Eliot returned his gaze to the menu and internally died knowing the food would be tolerable at best. Still, he was hungry and he needed his energy. He settled on a breakfast burrito with all the fixings in it, hot sauce to add to it, two cartons of orange juice and a small box of Lucky Charms cereal (for Parker when she woke up). The nurse smiled once again and took the menu, leaving Eliot in his own little world. He looked at the note that was on his lap and groaned inwardly when he read the contents:

_Dear Jared Dawson,_

_I see you have taken quite a beating. I realized that dinner was not going to happen tonight, but I hope tomorrow night I can treat you to an expensive dinner. Please call Trevor to let us know if you'll be able to attend. We'd love to have you. I'd love to have a meeting with you and your lovely and gorgeous wife. _

_Please meet us at the gym's main area at 6:30 pm. _

_Thank you for your time, and I greatly look forward to this little meeting of ours._

_Alex Stone_

Just as he finished reading and settled back to wait for the meal, Parker stirred awake and looked around with a confused expression. "Where are we?"

"The hospital. I guess we both zonked out after arriving."

"No, you were out before I was able to find a parking place," Parker responded as she stood slowly to stretch. She was achy because of the position she slept in. "I was awake until about 6:00 at night when you got your room and I heard the report of your injuries. You really need to slow down there boy."

"Yeah, Nadia, I know." He winked to remind her to use his alias so they wouldn't get caught if there were any eavesdroppers. "So, Mr. Stone wrote a little note telling me he still wanted to meet up and hoped I'd be up and ready for dinner tonight."

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea, honey," Parker replied with a semi-stern look. "You sustained a lot of injuries and it's crucial for you to rest up and recoup."

"I know Darlin' but I can't make the man who made this happen wait on me. The injuries will be fine for a dinner. I'll rest afterwards. Promise."

"So, are we both going?"

"He sure wants you to attend. Seems excited to meet such a lady." His smirk calmed her, but she still worried for Eliot. If anything were to happen, she'd never forgive herself. They were in this together. She needed to be strong for him, more so now because he sustained too many injuries!

"Well then, should I go grab the clothes or do you want to leave the hospital and go home together?"

"Let's get out of here," Eliot murmured as he slowly drew back the blanket and swung his legs forward.

Once they were successfully out of the hospital and back to their house, Eliot made a plan with Parker and the others. He and Parker would go for dinner and then if things weren't safe, he'd tighten his grip around her waist and she'd say she was going to "powder her nose" and then disappear. He'd keep the COM in his ear, but would also have another tracking device that would be undetectable in his teeth so if anything were to happen, they'd be able to find him. "Remember guys, we are here to help the Daniels. They need us more. Yes, we need to be cautious, but don't blow our cover…and Nate, Sophie and Hardison, y'all can pull a second con if things don't go right."

"Be careful Eliot," Hardison replied. "Don't do anything stupid."

Pulling into the parking of the restaurant made Eliot nervous as his eyes began scanning the entire perimeter; he looked for suspicious behaviors, exits, making exit plans and seeing if there were undercover security guards. Finding nothing out of the ordinary, he stepped out of the car and began walking with his hand around Parker's waist. At the restaurant, Eliot found Trevor and nodded as the man lead him to a secluded booth. Seeing two figures at the table made Eliot begin to sweat in anticipation. He knew now was the time he'd know if they were truly in danger or not. He outstretched his hand, "Hello sir, are you the man that's given my wife and I the best break?"

"I sure am," his thick accent sounded as he stood. His stature was a full 6 foot 5 inches. Eliot straightened up and his waist tightened against Parker's side so much she was sure it would leave a bruise. His outstretched hand dropped slightly, but was still engulfed by the other man's large hand. His face was now seen through the dim light and he too was Burmese.

"Sorry I never shared my identity before Jared…or should I call you Eliot Spencer?" Eliot straightened to his own full stature, but still looked like an ant compared to the other man. "She doesn't know, does she?" His gaze turned to Parker and with great appreciation gazed up and down the full length of her body. She showed no fear, no concern, and no worry. Her gaze was stern and her attitude was one of power, grace and confidence. "I see you picked yourself a good, young woman. She must be something special for you to have married her…and hide your real name from her. You had such an outstanding reputation. I don't know why she wouldn't be proud to have a strong killing machine with no emotion. Oh yes, what's it like in the bedroom?

That was enough for Eliot because he took another step towards the other man and his voice turned venomous, "Wouldn't you like to know Alex…or should I call you Arun?" Eliot's eyes were that of a serpent. He was now standing between Parker and the taller man. Trevor began looking back and forth between the entire scene and gulped in confusion. The other figure, Lei Pya stood and placed a small hand on her father's shoulder, "Why don't we just eat? After that, we can catch up."

Arun nodded and took his seat again before looking at Trevor, "That's all. You can return to your wife." With a nod, Trevor was out of sight and out the door.

Eliot took in a deep breath and Parker set her purse down, "You know what to order me hon, I'm gonna freshen up…and powder my nose." With that, Parker swayed her hips as she found the ladies room. Eliot let himself slowly drop into the booth as he hated the fact that he didn't realize this any earlier. "So, how'd you survive Myanmar? I was sure they wouldn't let you escape."

"Ohh Eliot, I have my scars. Still, after you destroyed most of my possessions and stole the rest, I still had faithful followers who helped me escape."

"Yes, possessions being slaves and prostitutes or all the drugs and weapons you had hiding in your little hellhole?"

"Why so hateful, Eliot? You seemed to enjoy the slaves just as much as the next."

Before Eliot could respond, a shot of pain ran from the back of his head to his toes, and it took all he had to keep his expression steady and unwavering.

"Well, since you gave me my scars, it's only fair I give you yours."

"You think I have no scars?" Eliot looked between the father and daughter duet.

"Not until I'm done with you. You will have a scar on _every_ inch of your body."

Just as Eliot was about to respond to the threat, he felt a sting to the back of his head and his vision blurred, "Shit," was all he had out by the time he fell into unconsciousness.

**A/N: the title is because when he wakes up, he'll sure wish he had some whiskey to lose the headache and the pain from the fight. Hehehe….well, wish me luck as I write the next chapter; hopefully it'll be updated soon…but please don't hold your breath! Just in case ;) hehehe.**


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